new to spearing

[allextremesfishing]

any tips.
where do you guys get your spears and equipment?

[marlich9]

I made my own spear in high school shop class and still using after 30 years.
The only improvements I made was to add lead close to the head.
I made a cone out of heavy cardboard paper and placed it on the end of the spear before the tines.
Then I melted down some wheel weights and poured it in the cone around the spear handle.
After it cooled I was able to shape it with a rasp file.  You can fine tune it with a file if it feels to heavy.

Mike

[Higgins]

any tips.
where do you guys get your spears and equipment?

I inherited one of my spears and the other was bought in a bait store for $65 but as far as any other equipment goes your going to need to be creative because in the world of spearing most of the time you need to use stuff that is not made for spearing.

And as far as tips go, your going to need to travel at least to Michigan to be able to spear cause that's the closest legal state from Maine  and check out this whole section of spearing on this site cause it has a crap ton of great info 

[minnowguy]

I'm gonna give this spear fishing a try also. I made 2 spears and picked up a couple blank decoys that I have to paint. What colors work the best? I see a lot of red and white ones being used would that be a good color to start with?

[Y-bone]

red and white is always a good color. I like the natural pike pattern too.

[minnowguy]

Thanks Y-bone I will try the red and white first.

[allextremesfishing]

how do you make a spear?? any blue prints anyone would be willing to share?

[Whatpole]

how do you make a spear?? any blue prints anyone would be willing to share?

Do you know how to weld? A spear is fairly easy to make with some imagination, look through the posts and you should find several pics of spears.

[Y-bone]

Do you know how to weld? A spear is fairly easy to make with some imagination, look through the posts and you should find several pics of spears.

I have made a few. Like you said, a little imagination and some pictures to help out. I am not the best welder, but the spears turned out ok. I have taken fish fish with each of them.

[allextremesfishing]

Do you know how to weld? A spear is fairly easy to make with some imagination, look through the posts and you should find several pics of spears.

what kind of matrials do you guys use?? and yes i know how to weld(mig and stick)

[Whatpole]

what kind of matrials do you guys use?? and yes i know how to weld(mig and stick)

There is a post at the top that is pics of spears, check it out. Most spear tines are probably from 3/16" to 5/16" in diameter. I would stay away fom square stock for tines, as I have heard it isn't real good for keeping fish on. All of my spears are round stock for the main shaft. I have found that barbs welded on work the best, vs. cutting the tine and bending a barb out.

Use your imagination. You will always find someway to improve your spear as you use it. I don't think I have ever found the right or wrong spear, just one that has been modified ten times over.

[Higgins]

what kind of matrials do you guys use?? and yes i know how to weld(mig and stick)

Try to get a hold of some stainless steel for your tines/head because rust can be a big problem 

I have never built one but from looking at my 2 spears I would go between 5.5ft and 6ft with a head about 8.5in to 10in in width with 7 or 9 tines and about 1 1/2 inches apart with tine length being around 7 to 9 inches and the over all weight of between 6.5 and 8 lbs. And as said I would go with welding on barbs rather than cutting them out.

[rezeye]

how do you make a spear?? any blue prints anyone would be willing to share?

I use 1/2"  cold rolled steel for the shaft and 1/4" for the tines and as far as the barbs like whatpole said weld some on and shape em with a grinder they can be cut in the tines but it could weaken the tines if not careful.  most steel suppliers deal in ten foot lengths so when i bought mine i bought ten feet of 1/2inch and ten feet of 1/4 inch cut each in half  and made two spears gave one away but you could sell one and have a free spear

[BFTrout]

how do you make a spear?? any blue prints anyone would be willing to share?

i've tinkered around with spear designs for the better part of my life and have finally narrowed down what i like.  my tines are 7" long 1/4" cold rolled steel with 1/8" welding rod pieces (3/4" long) barbs.  i built a little jig to drill 1/8" holes in the tines to accept the barbs.  this gives it a cleaner look and a smoother weld transition from tine to barb instead of welding the barb parallel to the tine and bending it out.  the head of my spear is 9 1/4" wide with the tines spaced out by 1 1/4" (i think).  spear head material is 5/16" plate steel.. . . a little light for me (next spear will be made with 3/8" plate).  spear shaft is 5/8" round bar about 4.5' long.  on top of that i fit a wood handle (about 2' long).  total length of the spear is about 5'7".  next one will be 5'11" with the 3/8" head to add a bit more weight. 

[minnowguy]

i've tinkered around with spear designs for the better part of my life and have finally narrowed down what i like.  my tines are 7" long 1/4" cold rolled steel with 1/8" welding rod pieces (3/4" long) barbs.  i built a little jig to drill 1/8" holes in the tines to accept the barbs.  this gives it a cleaner look and a smoother weld transition from tine to barb instead of welding the barb parallel to the tine and bending it out.  the head of my spear is 9 1/4" wide with the tines spaced out by 1 1/4" (i think).  spear head material is 5/16" plate steel.. . . a little light for me (next spear will be made with 3/8" plate).  spear shaft is 5/8" round bar about 4.5' long.  on top of that i fit a wood handle (about 2' long).  total length of the spear is about 5'7".  next one will be 5'11" with the 3/8" head to add a bit more weight. 

Can you post a picture of how yours are made. The barbs are what I found are the hardest to get on at least the way I did it. This was my first attempt and if I make some more I will do it different than I did this time.